Hundreds of civil servants at the finance ministry are on strike over mass job cuts. The historic strike – only the second by civil servants in recent history – comes after President Abdulla Yameen insisted on the dismissals, arguing the Maldivian civil service is overstaffed.

A ruling-party dominated parliamentary committee resumed work a day after threatening a strike over fears of security for parliamentarians, following an apparent assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen.